Think Tank

Everyone knows that voters want an answer to rising gas prices. But, despite their best efforts, neither party has found a message that will keep all of their members happy.

-- The call for more domestic drilling has found lots of support within GOP ranks, but it puts those in coastal districts in a bind. This is felt most acutely in FL, where Vern Buchanan (R-FL 13) is against off-shore drilling. But Dems can't exploit this divide successfully because many of their candidates are split on the issue, too. Ex-wind power exec. Michael Skelly, a TX-07 Dem, is one unlikely supporter of drilling in ANWR.

-- Did you think "Big Oil" was a Dem term? It's not anymore, as state Sen. Harri Anne Smith (R), in AL-02's runoff, is accusing state Rep. Jay Love (R) of voting for tax breaks for oil and gas companies. That's not a message we've seen coming from too many GOPers. But, it also suggests a line of attack that can be used by Dems and GOPers alike. Should we expect to see Dems vulnerable on this issue in a general election as well?

-- Gas prices have become such a big issue so fast that it’s easy to see how both parties are flailing about for a message that resonates.